One of its competitors, Brynn Route, teaches "pole fitness" in Austin. She says she struggled to find a workout she could stick to.

"I hated going to the gym," she says. "I hated running. I just could not get behind any form of exercise until I found pole dancing... and I just fell in love."

On Sunday, Route was one of dozens of women competing to become Miss Texas Pole Dance.

"It is becoming more and more mainstream," Route explains.

"I wanted to give women an opportunity to showcase their skills, agility, and training in pole fitness," says event organizer Rashida Hobbs. "And to really display that this is an art as well as a sport, so people can recognize it as a legit fitness."

Jennifer Huff of San Antonio was named the new Miss Texas Pole Dance at Sunday's competition. She says pole dancing is an amazing art form.